Firemen Wrestle Tiny Blaze In Chimney as Mob Exults

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED
December 16, 1948

While 300 student cheered and snapped pictures from the sidelines, Cambridge firemen had a hard time dousing a small fire in the chimney of a Plympton st. home next to Leverett House at 1:15 p.m. yesterday.

As soon as the first fire engine pulled to a stop on the corner and the smokefighters opened water valves, a gush of muddy water immediately smacked three students in the face. Someone had forgotten to attach the hose.

When the hose was finally screwed in, it sprung two leaks and scattered spray over 50 more students. Then a tank burst open in another truck and flooded the front seat.

At 1:25 p.m. the engine of Hose Truck Number 5 began to boil over. Firefighters lifted the hood and stuck a hose into the water tank. The hose slipped out and bathed about ten more spectators.

Officials blamed the fire on a bad chimney that had caught some hot sparks from the furnace. Ivan V. Krno '50 reported the blaze when he saw eight-foot flames leaping out of the chimney.